Has AI become a vital component of Unified Communications?

Artificial intelligence is becoming increasingly prevalent in the enterprise, but how necessary is AI in the UC space?

23rd July 2019

Over the course of the next year, Gartner predicts that artificial intelligence (AI) projects will double. The technology is becoming increasingly ubiquitous in the enterprise, but has AI become a vital component of Unified Communications?

A vital component of Unified Communications?

In the Unified Communications (UC) space, chatbots and AI virtual assistants are dramatically shifting how humans interact with companies. Indeed, a recent Gartner report states that these tools provide deeper customer loyalty, higher sales, and increased customer support efficiency.

Despite this, the report also notes that chatbots will not live up to consumer expectations unless they deliver clear value. However, those that do deliver value to the user can subsequently build trust to permit greater automation.

AI does not only enhance the on-site experience for consumers, however, it also enables mass personalisation. This can span from personalised website visits, to augmented reality and customised visuals.

While there are a multitude of ways to engage with customers today, it is incredibly challenging to create interconnections between each communication channel. Nevertheless, AI allows companies to create a single and consistent view of a customer, which learns from each interaction across various channels.

AI could make UC more accessible

AI does not only open up opportunities for personalisation, it could also make UC more accessible for all users. Traditionally, for example, the most predominant UC tool was the phone, which evidently restricts individuals with auditory impairments.

With AI, however, companies can open up a host of new communication channels and subsequently address a wider set of needs. Microsoft’s free app, Seeing AI, serves the low vision community by harnessing the power of AI to describe people, texts, and objects.

While AI is evidently beneficial in regards to greater personalisation and automation, it is also necessary when it comes to making UC more accessible. By enhancing their existing UC solutions, today’s companies have the opportunity to empower users with disabilities.